A food company has been warned it could face legal action over the name of its Welsh Dragon Sausages.

Trading standards said Black Mountains Smokery in Powys must also include the type of meat used in the sausages - pork - to meet labelling regulations.

The boss of the firm in Crickhowell said pork was listed on the label and called it "bureaucracy gone mad".

Jon Carthew said: "I don't think any of our customers actually believe that we use dragon meat in our sausages.

"We use the word because the dragon is synonymous with Wales and I think everyone who buys from us knows that."

I don't think anyone would imagine that dragon meat was being used but we would not want vegetarians to buy the sausages believing they were meat free

Powys council

More than 200,000 of the sausages made from pork, leek and hot chilli are sent to UK restaurants and shops each year.

They are supplied by local butcher Cashell and Son, who have also received the trading standards' warning letter.

But officials said they would not want vegetarians to buy the product by mistake thinking they were meat free.

Consumer watchdogs took action after being tipped off that the sausages were in breach of the 1996 Food Labelling Act.

The warning letter from Powys council's trading standards department, who analysed the sausages, read: "The public analyst has stated that the name Welsh Dragon Sausage is not sufficiently precise to inform a purchaser of the true nature of the food.

"It is recommended that you include the type of meat eg: pork/beef in the name of the food."

The ingredients - including pork - are listed on the Welsh Dragon Sausages' label but both the supplier and Black Mountains Smokery were informed it was an offence and they were breaking the law over the misleading name.

'True nature'

Mr Carthew, 45, who heads the family business, was told that no further action was being taken, but trading standards would keep a check on his products by taking samples in future.

He said:"Have they nothing better to do?

"It states quite clearly on the label that pork is among the ingredients but they want pork to feature in the actual name of the product.

"It's ridiculous but we are having to comply by tacking the word 'pork' on the end just to satisfy them.

A spokesman for Powys Council said: "The product Welsh Dragon Sausage was not sufficiently precise to inform a purchaser of the true nature of the food.

"I don't think anyone would imagine that dragon meat was being used but we would not want vegetarians to buy the sausages believing they were meat free.

"We have recommended to the establishments that they include the type of meat in the name of the food."